Bamboo Airways departed London Heathrow for the first time this week. The airline is new to the UK market and offers passengers an affordable option flying direct to Hanoi, Vietnam. Flying on a modern wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, passengers can choose to fly economy or business class.

Dang Tat Thang, chief executive of Bamboo Airways, said: “We are delighted that we can now fly passengers from London Heathrow direct to Hanoi, at an affordable rate.

“London is one of the world’s financial and cultural hubs, so we expect our new service will further promote the connectivity between Vietnam and the UK, thus contributing to leveraging Vietnam aviation in the global market. “Our goal is to expand across Europe, the United States, Australia and Asia and by 2022 we aim to have 40 international routes in place. The world is opening up and Bamboo Airways is ready to take passengers on their next adventure.”

The flight will operate once a week, flying inbound and outbound on Sundays, all year round. Heathrow chief commercial officer, Ross Baker, added: “As demand begins to recover, we’re delighted to welcome Bamboo Airways to the Heathrow family.

“The frequent direct flights from the UK’s hub airport to Vietnam will give British businesses access to a fast-growing market and give passengers the opportunity to visit the remarkable destinations Vietnam has to offer.”